Philips Avent Bottle Warmer - SO FRUSTRATED!!

[crystal_rose]

Does anyone else use the Philips Avent brand bottle warmer?This bottle warmer is advertised as the FASTEST, being able to heat a 5 oz bottle in 3 minutes. My arse it can. I got one as a gift - it worked for about 2 weeks, then I returned it and got another one, and it it worked for about 2 days.

Both seemed to work well at first, but then quickly stopped heating as efficiently. In both cases, I've had to bump it up to setting 9 for a 5oz. bottle and leaving it in for +10 minutes.

I'm so beyond frustrated! Any clue as to what is going on here? Is it a bad batch? Or is their product just total crap? Either way, it's beyond frustrating.

Appreciate any insight and BUYER BEWARE!

 

[lembal]

@crystal_rose I ended up microwaving a measuring cup of water for 1m and put the bottle in that. A million times faster. Stupid warmers.

 

[abosie]

@crystal_rose Ugh I hate mine too. Wish I never registered for it.

 

[crystal_rose]

@abosie I used the microwave this morning. You know what? It was stress free and I got it to the perfect temp in about 1 minute.

I'm starting to think that this whole "no microwave" thing was invented by the baby product industry. If you stir it at regular intervals and monitor the temp, what's the issue?

 

[katrina2017]

@crystal_rose I wonder if it has to do with the plastics used? Microwaves are inconsistent in the areas they heat so part by the plastic could get hot enough to cause some microscopic plastic particles to come off and into the milk? Same thing why plastic cooking utensils are not recommended for over heat.

 

[crystal_rose]

@katrina2017 See I was also curious about that, but I couldn't find any information on it. Plus, people reheat lunches in plastic Ziploc containers all the time... The plastic bottles are much thicker than a Ziploc container.

Given that baby bottles are meant to be steamed and boiled, I would assume that the plastic would be quite hardy, no?

 

[katrina2017]

@crystal_rose https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-plastic-baby-bottles-safe/

I would assume it has to do with the temps being applied. If you do chose to microwave I would do it on a low power setting to make sure part of the plastic isn't getting hot.

I assume the bottle warmer doesn't have this problem as it's applying a lower temp over a longer period of time.

Also although things state they are BPA free I don't trust things made in China (tainted baby formula & other issues) or really anywhere for that matter.

Personally I don't use plastics in the microwave as the above article alluded to the chemical interaction of microplastics on our bodies is not well studied.

Glass bottles should be fine to microwave though.

 

[daniele]

@crystal_rose Radiation

 

[crystal_rose]

@daniele ... seriously? That hasn't come up in any of my searches. Source if you're not just being cheeky...

 

[crystal_rose]

@abacb07 Yes, do not microwave is the primary advice given. But after looking into it, the only valid reason seems to be that microwaving creates hotspots. If I stir it frequently while it's heating, then I'm addressing the issue.

I feel like rules are often made because of the stupidest people. Who the hell doesn't know how a microwave works? It doesn't heat my spaghetti evenly so why would it heat a bottle evenly. Sheesh. I am confident that my keen microwaving know-how won't result in a scalded baby.

I considered glass bottles but I thought they would be too heavy. Also, something about babies and glass and late nights and slippery vomit just worries me...

 

[abacb07]

@crystal_rose My LO just turned 1. I have only broken two, 8oz glass bottles, both of which fell and hit my husband's metal weights from about two feet up. My LO has dropped these several times from her high chair onto the dining room floor (hard wood) without a problem. They are heavier but by the time LO was ready to hold her own bottle, she was strong enough. The only complaint I have with glass is that you can mess up the threads on the ring that holds the nipple if you force it, then they leak.
If we do have another child, I would not hand wash every bottle.... I would do 100% glass bottles and run through the dish washer.

 

[daniele]

@crystal_rose Haha yeah I was being a little cheeky. Still I would not recommend it as there are studies that mention the importance of the temperature which could lead to incorrect breaking down of vitamins and acids, and faster spread of e.coli bacteria

Some source and studies plus interesting comments https://parenting.stackexchange.com...a-if-i-swirl-the-bottle-and-test-the-temperat

 

[zienzieu]

@daniele Radiation isn't a worry. I believe it's the issue with hot and cold spots.

 

[katrina2017]

@crystal_rose I’ve heard that it’s because microwaves heat liquids inconsistently. This can create scalding hot pockets of liquid. Babies have had serious burn injuries from this.

 

[michaelmutseyekwa]

@crystal_rose Mine works, it just takes forever. Add a crying hungry baby into the mix and you just want to throw it across the room. I found that using a Keurig to make a large mug of hot water works so much faster. I put the bottle right in the mug of hot water for like 2 min or less.

 

[pwanous03]

@michaelmutseyekwa I do the same, but using hot water from my sink. Works like a charm. I can't imagine giving up counter space in my little kitchen or anywhere else to replicate what I can do with a mug and tap water!

 

[crystal_rose]

@pwanous03 I could definitely do this seeing how my tap water gets hotter than what this bottle warmer produces.

 

[crystal_rose]

@michaelmutseyekwa Yes, that's the same problem I'm having. Technically it "works"... It's just infuriatingly slow. On several occasions I have also had to refrain from pitching it across the room, so I totally feel you on that.

I stuck my finger in it this morning at 2am, and my tap water gets hotter... Tap water! For chrissakes! What garbage.

I'll be using the microwave from now on, and just make sure to stir it at regular intervals.

 

[michaelmutseyekwa]

@crystal_rose Yeah when I don’t have a Keurig, I heat up a mug of water in the microwave for like 70 seconds and then put the bottle in the mug of water. Works like a charm.

 

[crystal_rose]

@michaelmutseyekwa That sounds like a good strategy. The water feels like an extra, unecessary step though... Why not just microwave the bottle itself? It's faster.

Truly though, I'm curious as to why it's important to put the bottle in water when a microwave does the trick in less than a minute. The only reason I've found so far is that it heats it unevenly and can result in hotspots... But luckily, I've used a microwave before and I know to stir it regularly as it heats. Is there any other reason I should be aware of?